An interview with Megan Burns of Irish Dublin DanceBy Ken DeLaatf you’ve ever attended the wonderful Irish Music Festival hosted by our lakeshore neighbor to the west or found yourself snuggling up to a Guiness during open mike night at the Conklin watering hole Fenian’s back in the day, or perhaps spent a goodly amount of a certain St Pats Day at Flanagan's Irish Bar years ago resulting in some serious and extensive next day apologizing (but that’s perhaps a story for another time), you might have a bit of Hibernophile in you.If so, the Dublin Irish Dance production of “Stepping Out” coming to the Dogwood is going to be right up your alley.It is a very cool show using music, song and dance to spin an uplifting tale of the Irish immigrants and what they brought to America.When leaving their beloved home to forge a new life in a new country the travelers could manage but few possessions. Most precious of these was the Celtic culture they carried with them. A culture infused with the beauty and power of the music and the rhythmic majesty of the dance.“Stepping Out” tells their story.

We caught up with Megan Burns the lead singer of the troupe as their bus rumbled across the Poconos on the way to a show in Binghamton New York some 2 weeks into a 9 week tour. Ms. Burns was a delight to interview as she kindly replied to a series of queries with her gentle Irish brogue projecting an avid enthusiasm for the show and her opportunity to travel across America..How did you end up with the tour?It was kind of a random thing, I uploaded videos of my singing to promote getting gigs at weddings and such and the tour director saw one and contacted me to ask if I’d be interested in touring America.Of course I thought someone was joking around with me at first, because an offer like that would be an absolute dream, but once she finally got a hold of me and convinced me it was for real and we got the ball rolling.So basically I ended up getting the part through social media and I’m so grateful for it.

What has surprised you about the tour?Probably how much I am enjoying the things I thought I wouldn’t enjoy, like long bus trips and staying in different hotels and cities. It’s been exciting to see the countryside and to be performing in all these great venues in different cities.

I understand you spent time in Qatar teaching.Yeah I’m a full time teacher and taught there for a year. It where I got my feet off the ground musically. I started a band there and we did a lot of gigs. When I came back home I wanted to continue with singing…. on the side of course, since teaching was my main job. I even sang the national anthem at Croke Park (largest stadium in Ireland) before a game.I just never thought I would ever get such an opportunity like this.

What was it like for you there?Qatar was an amazing experience The Arabic culture is very intense not at all similar to our culture at home I had my knees and shoulders covered all the time to respect their religion and at 50 degrees Celsius (120 fahrenheit) it wasn’t always an easy thing to do, Once I adapted to their culture and it was a great learning opportunity for me.

And you play football?Oh yeah, I do. It’s our national game. I’ve been known for that as well as my singing. I know we call it football but it’s different from your football though there are a lot of similarities.

Right, except we wear more padsYeah (laughing) I think yours is a bit more aggressive than ours

The show’s story is a history of Celtic music and dance and how it evolved when it came to this country. How does it feel to be a part of telling that story?It is a massive part of our culture and a part that I was a bit blinded to before being in the show. What,has been great is after the performance we always stay around for a meet and greet with the audience many of whom have Irish ancestry and they are so proud of being Irish. So many people find it uplifting because its their own story as well.

The Dogwood is a great venue and you’ll find the area surrounding it quite rural.We love the rural areas. We were just discussing that if we were to come to America on holiday we’d probably not get to see the parts of the country we’re visiting. We’re getting to meet the real people of America on a much more intimate level. We like to interact and maybe go to the nearest pub or bar to meet people so this type of area is all the more better for us,

Why should people come?This show is a story of immigration and leaving your homeland to cross over to another country but what’s special about it is though set in the 1900s it is so relevant today. It is beautifully expressed through song and dance and music and delivers such an important message.We have fantastic musicians and dancers and there is just so much talent on the stage.I don’t see how anything can be more Irish than the show we’re putting out for our audience.

Tickets are $25.00 for adults, $10 for children 18 and under and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.

By Charles ChandlerNominations: Nearly all including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress, Cinematography, Costume Design, Music, Writing, etc. etc. etc. ​ Are you kidding me? 13 Academy Award nominations!! Maybe I need to see this movie again. When I was thinking about watching this movie it wasn’t because of the tsunami of buzz that was building around it, but because it was written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. I love Guillermo’s works like The Hobbit and Hellboy, both on my list of all time favorite Sci-Fi and fantasy movies. The Shape of Water has some elements from the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Beauty and the Beast and Hellboy.

You remember Abe Sapien that gentle telepathic Mer-Man in Hellboy played by Doug Jones? Doug is a great actor who usually stars as non-human entities in Sci-Fi, fantasy, and horror movies. I really liked Abe in Hellboy so I thought I should see this movie since it is written and directed by Guillermo and has an Amphibian Man that looks kinda like Abe and is also played by Doug Jones.

I really hoped Amphibian Man would not be as terrible and scary as that thing in the Creature from the Black Lagoon. That movie was so horrifying until I remember putting my feet up in the seat and screamed openly in several of the scenes. It really fried my little developing brain until to this day if I am wading in any water, even the crystal clear cold spring water of the Pere Marquette River, and something touches the back of my leg I will launch straight up saying really bad words.

I am stalling here because I really don’t know how to describe The Shape of Water, much less offer a critical review. For me it is a very strange movie, sort of like a graphic novel, and had some elements that worked for me and some that really did not. However, it is a Guillermo del Toro story and did take me down memory lane and on an emotional roller coaster ride. The movie is set in the 1960s in a big city, in a couple of small flats above a rundown movie theater, and in a scary cold war type bunker that contains a top secret medical laboratory or torture chamber. Alexandre Desplat's score is pensive and bittersweet or so I am told, as I am a visual person and seldom hear the score. Production Designer Paul D. Austerberry and Cinematographer Dan Laustsen work their magic and create this steamy, swampy, watery world where you can see the condensation, smell the mold and Pine Sol that the janitorial crew uses to clean up the various body fluids that abound. The story is about those “other people” that live on the margins, those quiet, mostly minority people that use public transportation and work the midnight shift usually in the hospitality or service industry, or in the back of the big houses. The main charters in this story are Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), Zelda Fuller (Octavia Spencer), Giles (Richard Jenkins) and Strickland (Michael Shannon). Giles is Elisa’s complicated next door neighbor. He is a gay out of work graphic artist that spends a lot of time watching old movies on TV and flirting with a waiter at a nearby diner. One of the diner scenes will probably make you really uncomfortable. Strickland is a bad, bad man. Additionally there are some Russian spies (there are always Russian spies), and a sympathetic scientist (there is always a sympathetic scientist).

Elisa and Zelda are janitors working the midnight shift in a Baltimore-based top secret government laboratory. Elisa is mute and communicates with sign language and only has two friends. Zelda her Chatty Cathy coworker that speaks for her while on their janitorial job in the secrete laboratory, and Giles does so in their small apartment world above the dilapidated movie theater. All toil away in their lonely hidden worlds until one night when Strickland the overlord of the laboratory literally rolls in the Asset. This Asset is an Amphibian Man recently captured somewhere in the Amazon basin. Amphibian Man is worshiped as a God by the Amazonia Natives and has soon to be revealed super powers. However, first he is chained, beaten and brutally tortured with a old fashion cattle prod by Strickland, all legitimized by our efforts to win the space race and cold war. Guillermo has Amphibian Man and Strickland do a lot of heavy lifting in his movie. Murderous Strickland is a quintessential sadist, racist, bigot and misogynistic wing nut. Mysterious Amphibian Man is a helpless, chained up victim of Strickland’s brutality, a curious, vulnerable intelligent human-like wild creature that quickly picks up sign language, and a sexy albeit strange stud muffin.

Curious little Elisa finds a way into Strickland’s torture chamber and during her lunch time discovers Amphibian Man likes boiled eggs and in spite their differences is a lot like her and a friendship develops. All too soon she learns that the government has ordered the Asset to be terminated. Of course this won’t do and the mouse that is Elisa roars. She tells bigger mouse Giles, “I can either save him, or let him die.” and then it is game on.

Make no mistake this is an adult movie with profanity, nudity, explicit graphic violence, and steamy interspecies sex. If you are a cat lover be forewarned there is one scene in this movie that will give you a chill.

The emotional roller coaster mentioned earlier is because Guillermo holds the mirror up to remind us of how disrespectful we have been and can be to the “others” and that bigotry and racism were the norms just a few short years ago. Standing in front of that mirror for a few cinematic moments may not a bad thing given our current political environment and the controversy swirling around immigration, healthcare and rampart sexual abuse. Like I said, I really can’t provide a critical review of The Shape of Water. In my opinion it was a very strange movie, but some folks really, really liked for it to receive 13 Academy Award nominations. So help me out, go watch this movie and if you see me out and about please stop by and give me your opinion. Then let’s watch the Oscars and see how the experts vote.

The Dublin Irish Dance will perform "Stepping Out" on the Dogwood's main stage on Thursday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. Through favorite Irish melodies, traditional steps and Celtic instrumentals, Dublin Irish Dance’s production of “Stepping Out” tells a story of the Irish Immigration to America after the Great Famine of the mid-1800’s. Greeted by diverse cultures and rich traditions from around the globe, the new Irish emigrants congregate in dance gatherings where ancient Irish melodies fuse with African rhythms, creating American tap dance and early roots music.“Stepping Out” celebrates the incredible evolution of Irish traditional dance and music, showcasing the new pioneers who will define the standard of traditional Irish music and dance.Tickets are $25.00 for adults, $10 for children 18 and under and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.

By Charles ChandlerNominations: Best Picture, Best Actor, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume DesignThe Darkest Hour is not a war movie even though it is set during the early days of World War II; it is a great story about Winston Churchill, a flawed man of the moment that must courageously lead himself and Great Britain through their darkest hour. The stage is set for this masterpiece with the news that Belgium has surrender, the fall of France is at hand, and the unstoppable Nazi Panzers divisions have trapped about a half million soldiers of the remaining Allied forces on the beaches at Dunkirk. With the great German Wehrmacht poised only 20 miles twenty miles across the English Channel and skies controlled by the Luftwaffe, the not so popular Winston Churchill has just been appointed British Prime Minister of Great Britain and must now step into the fray that swirls around him. With the unthinkable German evasion looming he must also deal with powerful members of Parliament that want to negotiate with Hitler and develop a working relationship with reclusive British King George VI, played by Ben Mendelsohn who is not sure he is the man for the job. Script, writer Anthony McCarten and director Joe Wright perfectly frames this huge drama by focusing on that historical moment between May and June of 1940. They also step outside that moment and give us poignant vignettes of Winston the husband and family man and caring citizen of Great Britain as he deals with not only the great but the ordinary. For example Winston has insufficient fund in the family checking and his dear wife cannot pay their household bills. He also has to deal with his personal demons of self doubt as to whether he is doing the right thing for the citizens of Great Britain that are yet unaware of the depth and breadth of the situation and or the terror that they must soon endure. One of my favorite movie moments is when Winston makes a late night call to our President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and begs him to send him the destroyers that the US has built and the British government has paid for. Our President states that because of the Neutrality Act he cannot deliver the destroyers. The look on Winston’s face is an Oscar winning moment as Roosevelt further suggests that he may be able to get some horses and pull said destroyers’ across the border into Canada.The DARKEST HOUR is a must see inspiring story about a great man and a few weeks in 1940 during which Winston Churchill's decisions and courage to lead changed the course of history and most likely saved the Western World as we know it today. Spoiler alert, according to this movie buff Gary OldmanWill get the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Roleand his magical makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji Will get one for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.For history and movie buffs, if you have not, then also seeing the movie Dunkirk is essential. The Darkest Hour is about a great man and Dunkirk is about a great event. Please see this award winning movie to understand the larger drama that was being played out concurrently as thousands of helpless British soldiers waited at the water’s edge in Dunkirk while being relentless bombed by the German Luftwaffe, not knowing about the political battle being fought across the Channel in the British War Room and Parliament that will determine their fate.

It is looking to be a short but sweet warm spell this weekend a winter happening that brings out the bi-peninsular bliss in the citizenry. Folks just seem a tad more friendly and cheerful when these meteorological interventions interrupt the siege of cold and snow that tend to bookend them. And we can all use a bit more community conviviality correct?It will be a couple of days when you find reasons to get outside like perhaps removing the last of the Christmas lights from their previously frozen state or shoring up a bird feeder that has been vandalized by a marauding band of squirrels.Nice weekend for a little road trip to the lakeshore or cruising about the county and while there are snow driven activities planned hereabouts there will be a rather distinct lack of snow so plan accordingly.Saturday Night The Dogwood Center’s Black Box will be hosting the Sweet Water Warblers a trio of uber-talented Michigan based songstresses who have formed this ‘super group’ of roots music performers. Do yourself a favor and give them a listen at:https://sweetwaterwarblers.com/music/Afterwards when you’ve ordered your tickets, witnessed a delightful performance in the cozy club like atmosphere that is The Black Box and headed home with a signed CD in hand you don’t have to thank us.It’s what we’re here for.Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.As always we encourage the patronage of one of our fine local eatatoriums this weekend. For breakfast try Hit The Road Joe for some bodacious stuffed French Toast or whatever the special might be this weekend at City Limits because it rarely disappoints.And get ready for a busy February with the oft dreaded V-Day sitting smack dab in the middle of the month.

Suggestion Box is sponsored by Newaygo Brewing Co. where good food, good drink and good times gather

NCCA-Artsplace and Dogwood Center will present the West Michigan Luthier Concert, a unique combination of music and visual arts, on Saturday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dogwood Center’s Black Box. The concert combines the beautiful artistry of luthiers, stringed instrument makers, from throughout West Michigan with the talents of gifted musicians. 2018 marks the 12th year for this popular annual event.

To complement the concert, an exhibit of photographs of handmade instruments made by local luthiers will be on display in the Dogwood Center Lobby Gallery January 23 through March 3. The photographs include ukuleles, mandolins, violins, and acoustic guitars.

Tickets are $12.50 per person and are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont.For more information stop by, call or visit NCCA-Artsplace, 13 E. Main, Fremont, 231.924.4022, www.ncca-artsplace.org.

By Charles ChandlerEditors note: Longtime freelance writer, popular N3 contributor, avid angler, and White Cloud advocate Charles Chandler is an admitted aficionado of the cinema. With the Academy Award nominees announced and Oscar’s Night arriving March 4th we have enlisted his assistance in presenting some thoughts on a few of the candidates.However…..Prior to beginning this process we asked Mr. C. to deliver a little background on how his relationship to film developed.​I love good movies and all the things associated with movies. At this time of the year we usually have a great selection of films each vying for the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and the Academy Awards. I especially like going to the movie theater in the cold dark winter, munching insanely expensive popcorn, junior mints, slurping soft drinks and sitting in those giant comfortable recliner seats. If you get one of those and don’t like the movie or are of that certain age you can always take a nap, as long as you don’t snore. In one of my former lives going to movies was a life saving adventure. In that life all the country folk went to town on Saturday to pay bills, run errands, shop and socialize with friends and family. All these things were hard to do while wrangling packs of feral kids, especially squirming, smelly little boys. We little country bumpkins could not be turned loose because at that time there were so many ways we could get in trouble, the list included but not limited to not paying attention to the traffic lights and wandering mindlessly into the streets to be run down by cars and log truck, hanging out in Ben Franklin Five and Dime pilfering the toys bins until the poor manager came down from his secret hiding place and ran you out, trying to sneak into the pool hall, strolling over on Tuff street dodging tobacco spit while trying to hear a new swear words and most dangerous of all going into the public bathroom in the basement of the Courthouse. This place was off limits and if ever found there you would be punished by everyone in your immediate and extended family and brought before the Baptist Preacher and the full Deacon Board. I feared that Deacon Board because my Grandfather Lewis was on the Board. According to my saintly Mother, Grandmother and an assorted aunts, the reason this basement bathroom was so dangerous was because it was where the perverts and kidnappers hung out. If caught there you could be captured and sold to the Gypsies that occasionally came through the countryside. Once on a dare from my double third cousin Dennis Durwood Jones, I asked my Mom how you could identify a pervert or body snatcher. She said they usually wore dark shades to hide their evil eyes and had small faded tattoos on their forearms. If Mom were here today she certainly would have to rethink that definition. Of course going to this fearsome place was a rite of passage for all the boys. We knew and passed on to each successive pack the secret passageway into this chamber of horrors. You waited on the Courthouse steps until no one that you knew was watching and then you casually walked up the stairs into the Courthouse, past the Judge’s Chamber, past the scary courtroom and through the door marked bathroom, down the two flights of stairs and into the dreaded bathroom. Once there you would run across the black and white tile floor scanning the urinals for perverts wearing dark glasses and out the lower level door and up the stairs into the sunlight on the Courthouse Square. This activity soon lost its excitement because the only folks we usually saw were the old timers that belonged to the spit and whittle club occupying the shady benches on the Square. Occasional one would turn from the urinal and grumble out, you kids better get out of here you know you’re not supposed to be down here, if your Mom catches you it’s a whipping for sure. Usually around 10:30 all the torture of having to stay with you parents ended as we were handed the sacred half dollar. Once in hand we fled like lemmings to the sea into the Venus Theater for the Saturday Matinee. Normally on family nights you would have to drag us to the theater because in those days the Venus like many other movie theaters had as many rules as a Marine Boot camp and a staff to enforce them. During the week matinees or evening movies the dreaded ushers with their military grade flashlights patrolled the isles like wraiths listening for a tell tell whisper, or popcorn munching that was audible only to their bat ears, or heaven help you if you put your feet on the back of the seat in front of you. But for the Saturday Matinee all bets were off and the kids ruled. There was some order to the melee, the older kids especially those trying to develop some sort of relationship with the opposite sex, and the inmates in training, would sit in the darkened balcony. The rest of us would hunker down in the seats on the main floor. We called these the trenches and we always sat with our pack usually based on geography or family clan. No one sat in the four rows under the fall line of the balcony because there was a study rain of popcorn, candy wrappers, half chewed tootsie rolls and whatever that could be dropped or thrown overboard. On Saturdays the Venus was a magical place, it was dark, without adult supervision, the air-conditioning let us escape the swampy summer heat and those newsreels gave us a view of a larger world. Those Z grade movies helped us escape from all the rest for a few wonderful hours. The matinee programming usually consisted of a short, a cartoon, the news reel and most often two movies, one a B grade and a Z. They had to be action films as we had the attention span of a flea, usually shoot em ups with Roy Rogers or Gene Autry or something really scary like the Creature From the Black Lagoon, none of that mushy romantic stuff and never a musical. Those were for family nights or the strange adults. We went into the Venus at 11:00 AM and usually came pouring out blinking like little bats around 3:00 PM. We then would start searching for our parents and once found begin whining to be taken home or back to Ben Franklin’s to buy some lame toy that we had spotted early in the morning. These Saturday Movie Matinees helped developed a lasting love for movies great and small.

By N3 Entertainmant Team“Winter is not a season, it's an occupation.”-Sinclair Lewis

Ok so its the weekend and also the second to the last weekend in January. One more week and we are left with merely the 14 weeks of wintry February to muddle through before reaching March.You remember March,the old ‘In like a Lion Out like a Lamb’ (much like any typical Detroit football season) month which can be a little dicey weather-wise as well.At least by its end the back of winter should be bent if not broken and we shall begin the warming process once again.Here at N3 World Headquarters and Squirrel Sanctuary we have already grown a bit weary of the meteorological malaise these past weeks have brought forth, though the cameo appearances by our solar friend have been appreciably helpful if far too rare.Winter is the gift we Bi-peninsulars have been given to deter the masses from descending on our gem of a state. Visitors value the wondrous warm weather works we welcome in for a half year or so (stretching a bit perhaps) and might enjoy a drop-in for a taste of wintry wonder. but most don’t remain to stick it out year-round. Particularly if they are accustomed to a less, uh, intrusive climate. The first quarter of the new year is tough and even tougher if you eschew the outdoor activities that abound in the region. Cross country skiing,, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, etc. are all enjoyable but also require a modicum of snow which can be iffy what with the recent melt and some non frozen days ahead.So ok, maybe it’s time for a little inside action.

Newaygo Brewing Company likes to mix it up a bit when it comes to their offerings whether they be food or drink. This philosophy brings periodic surprises to their ever evolving carte and Friday they welcome in a Spicy Beer Cheese made with North York English Ale along with hot pretzel bites. The Brewery draws the burgeoning ‘downtown’ crowd on Fridays so the bites will likely be given a pretty thorough test drive.

Check out photographer Stacy Niedzwiecki’s exhibit currently running at NCCA -Artsplace in downtown Fremont. ”What Fifty Looks Like” is a retrospective of her work and offers exquisite examples of the keen eye and creative thought process possessed by Ms. N. The gallery is also a browsers paradise with items from local artists and you can learn about the multitude of classes offered for all ages all winter.

Every year when the Oscars come out do you ever wish you’d seen the candidates? Sometimes like even one of them? Otherwise it seems like there’s no one to root for since some of us turn all things into competition (self disclosure noted).Well, here’s your shot. Go see “Lady Bird”. Our friends at Fremont Cinemas are currently showing this Golden Globe winner and though we at N3WH have not seen it we received the highest recommendation from a discriminating cinephile friend who would not reveal a single shred of it and merely said “You have to see this movie.”

“I guarantee that if your funny bone has been frozen by this winter’s frigid cold, Fremont High School’s performance of “Play On!” will have it thawed out and warmed up before the curtain closes.”Direct quote from the review by Mike Gesler on our feature page.https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/theater-review-fremont-high-school-presents-play-onThe performances take place on the Main Stage of the Dogwood Center Friday and Saturday.The show opens each night at 7:30. Tickets prices are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online through the Dogwood Center’s webpage, www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the box office prior to the show, or by phone at (231) 925-8885.

And do not forget to patronize one of our fine eateries our area offers. Check out our Nibbler page and if you’ve a suggestion as to an epicurean addition, by all means send us a note and we will check it out.And as of this writing we are 33 days away from the first Spring Training game..

Suggestion Box is sponsored by Newaygo Brewing Co. An island of conviviality in a thriving community

If you are looking for something to lift you out of your midwinter doldrums then Fremont High School’s theater troupe has just the right prescription. Opening tonight, January 18, and playing through this Saturday, January 20, the troop is presenting Rick Abbot’s hilarious spoof on community theater, “Play On!”

This three act, single set play within a play is about a local theater group who chooses to save some money by presenting the new work of an inexperienced local playwright entitled, “Murder Most Foul.” The problem is that there really isn’t a murder, and the eccentric playwright keeps changing the storyline and rewriting the script with only two days before the premiere. These changes have everyone on edge as chaos and mayhem ensue. By the time “Murder Most Foul” opens, the cast and crew are so lost in their roles that anything that can go wrong does.

The show opens with Aggie Manville, the stage manager, played by Kaylyn Dobrowolski, and Gerry Dunbar, the show’s director, played by Grace Krick, discussing an incomplete set four days before opening night. Dobrowolski plays her part of the forgetful and pessimistic stage manager flawlessly as she often finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Krick is the quintessential community theater director who is exasperated, worried, and annoyed all at the same time by the lack of “professionalism” in amateur theater. Enter in Louise Peary, the group’s only technician, played by Jordyn Raymo, who has to see to the sound, lights, and scenic design all at the same time. Raymo is near perfect as a typical theater techie in her indifference for the actors, but overt attention to all that is theater design.

We then get to meet the cast. Henry Benish (aka Lord Dudley), played by Max Fritz, who is a serious yet confused mature gentleman and is also married to leading lady, Polly Benish (aka Lady Margaret), played by Shelby Mott, the theater’s easily offended diva. Mix them in with a pretty teen actress, Marla "Smitty" Smith (aka Doris the maid), played by Megan Berens, who is always concerned about the time and how upset her mother will be; the sarcastic Saul Watson (aka Dr. Rex Forbes), played by Alex Tillery, whose wit is a constant source of strife within the cast; the spirited and friendly Billy Carewe (aka Stephen Sellers), played by Mateo Rodriguez, who is the love interest of the attractive and confused actress Violet Imbry (aka Diana Lassiter), played by Dayna Dekryger. As the show progresses, these talented six actors shift between their characters seamlessly and believably. Trust me, as someone who has acted in this show himself, what is asked of these six characters is difficult even for the more seasoned performer. These students make it look easy which only adds to the madness and confusion that ensnares this ill-fated cast.

Lastly, we have the oblivious playwright of “Murder Most Foul,” Phyllis Montague, played by Jordyn Doran. Doran carries herself perfectly as the annoying author who, besides her constant rewrites of the script, just can’t seem to understand her place as she upsets both cast and crew to only make her play an even bigger farce then she ever intended.

Fremont High School’s theater troupe is directed by Shayn Doran, who along with student director, Natalie Hines, have molded this capable group of actors and technicians into a solid performance that you should not miss. I really enjoyed the set as it embodied the hilarious amateur nature encompassed within the play, and even the sound tech gets a stab at making the audience laugh.

“Play On!” is being performed at the Dogwood Center for Performing Arts in Fremont. The show opens each night at 7:30. Tickets prices are $5 for students and $10 for adults. A real bargain for the amusement this show is worth. Tickets can be purchased online through the Dogwood Center’s webpage, www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the box office prior to the show, or by phone at (231) 924-8885. I guarantee that if your funny bone has been frozen by this winter’s frigid cold, Fremont High School’s performance of “Play On!” will have it thawed out and warmed up before the curtain closes.

The Sweet Water Warblers will perform in the Dogwood Black Box on Saturday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m. Formed at the Hoxeyville Music Festival in 2014, the Sweet Water Warblers have gone on to attract serious admiration wherever they appear.As Michigan songbirds, Rachael Davis, Lindsay Lou and May Erlewine had each carved out successful careers on the American Roots Music circuit and in the process grew to respect each other’s work. When they finally gelled into the potent force they have become, it was the most natural coming together – three singing sirens and multi-instrumentalists whose repertoire swings from gospel and bluegrass to soul and even joyful interpretations of pop.Lindsay Lou is well known as lead vocalist with her band The Flatbellys who have toured extensively and appeared at festivals ranging from MerleFest in the USA to Shetland Folk Festival in the UK. One of the main visiting attractions at Celtic Connections in 2017, she was nominated in the 2016 Best Vocalist category by the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association.May Erlewine has the sort of soul-baring voice that moves the Alan Lomaxes of the world to abandon the ivory tower for the back roads of rural America. One of the most prolific and passionate songwriters of her generation, May’s music has touched the hearts of people all over the world. Her songs have been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, on Prairie Home Companion, sung in churches, played by musicians nationally and regionally and in living rooms across the land. Her words have held solace for weary hearts and her writing is for the times.Rachael Davis has a broad and faithful fanbase, admired especially by her peers, with a reputation as one of the classiest gals on the scene. At the age of 21, Rachael moved to Boston to start a career as a singer-songwriter and 7 short months after joining the music community she was was awarded the Boston Music Award for best new singer-songwriter. Her influences range from the jazz stylings of Ella Fitzgerald to the soulful contemporary vocals of Patty Griffin and much more in between.Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.